Andrew MacPhersonPink is dancing with shadows in the new video for “Walk Me Home.”

The cinematic clip begins with Pink walking down a busy city street in a red dress. Suddenly, everything stops and we see Pink alone on the street. She begins walking and dancing by herself. As the chorus kicks in, she floats off the ground.

Pretty soon, she isn’t completely alone: She’s joined by dancing shadows. There’s even a stunning sequence where she performs a routine along with the shadows projected onto the side of a building.

It ends with Pink coming back to reality and finding herself on a crowded street once again.

The video was directed by The Greatest Showman’s Michael Gracey and co-directed by Stuart Bowen. Pink previously recorded the song "A Million Dreams" for The Greatest Showman: Reimagined soundtrack.

"Walk Me Home" is the first single from Pink's upcoming album Hurts 2B Human, out April 26.

Andrew MacPhersonPink is dancing with shadows in the new video for “Walk Me Home.”

The cinematic clip begins with Pink walking down a busy city street in a red dress. Suddenly, everything stops and we see Pink alone on the street. She begins walking and dancing by herself. As the chorus kicks in, she floats off the ground.

Pretty soon, she isn’t completely alone: She’s joined by dancing shadows. There’s even a stunning sequence where she performs a routine along with the shadows projected onto the side of a building.

It ends with Pink coming back to reality and finding herself on a crowded street once again.

The video was directed by The Greatest Showman’s Michael Gracey and co-directed by Stuart Bowen. Pink previously recorded the song "A Million Dreams" for The Greatest Showman: Reimagined soundtrack.

"Walk Me Home" is the first single from Pink's upcoming album Hurts 2B Human, out April 26.

Courtesy PepsiCoAfter Pepsi built an entire Super Bowl ad around Cardi B saying her signature phrase "Okurrr," it's no wonder the rapper is now moving to trademark it.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's website, Cardi's filed paperwork to trademark the catchphrase for use on a long list of items, among them “paper goods, namely paper cups and posters.”

Courtesy PepsiCoAfter Pepsi built an entire Super Bowl ad around Cardi B saying her signature phrase "Okurrr," it's no wonder the rapper is now moving to trademark it.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's website, Cardi's filed paperwork to trademark the catchphrase for use on a long list of items, among them “paper goods, namely paper cups and posters.”

ABC/Rick RowellMore than a year before A Star Is Born came out, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were seen hanging out. So what are we to make of the news that Gaga's now been seen hanging out with Jeremy Renner?

A source tells Us Weeklythat Gaga and the Oscar-nominated actor have been "spending a lot of time together," but they "don't believe it's romantic at this point."

And it's not just Renner: The source dishes that Gaga has been hanging with the Avengers star and his six-year-old daughter Ava, whom he shares with his ex, Sonni Pacheco.

If Gaga's pre-production behavior with Cooper is anything to go by, this could mean that Gaga's lined up another acting job, and Renner's part of the project.

Gaga called off her engagement to Christian Carino a month ago and has been seen out having fun with reality stars Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd, and popping into an L.A. jazz club to perform a set.

ABC/Rick RowellMore than a year before A Star Is Born came out, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were seen hanging out. So what are we to make of the news that Gaga's now been seen hanging out with Jeremy Renner?

A source tells Us Weeklythat Gaga and the Oscar-nominated actor have been "spending a lot of time together," but they "don't believe it's romantic at this point."

And it's not just Renner: The source dishes that Gaga has been hanging with the Avengers star and his six-year-old daughter Ava, whom he shares with his ex, Sonni Pacheco.

If Gaga's pre-production behavior with Cooper is anything to go by, this could mean that Gaga's lined up another acting job, and Renner's part of the project.

Gaga called off her engagement to Christian Carino a month ago and has been seen out having fun with reality stars Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd, and popping into an L.A. jazz club to perform a set.

ABC/ Paula LoboOneRepublic, Sheryl Crow and Black Eyed Peas are among the top acts performing at the 2019 KAABOO Del Mar festival, scheduled for September 13-15 in the Southern California beach town of Del Mar.

Also on the bill are Maren Morris, Colbie Caillat, Cheat Codes, Plain White T's and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, as well as some blasts from the past: Blind Melon, REO Speedwagon, Squeeze and Duran Duran.

Mumford & Sons, Dave Matthews Band and Kings of Leon are among the other headliners.

ABC/ Paula LoboOneRepublic, Sheryl Crow and Black Eyed Peas are among the top acts performing at the 2019 KAABOO Del Mar festival, scheduled for September 13-15 in the Southern California beach town of Del Mar.

Also on the bill are Maren Morris, Colbie Caillat, Cheat Codes, Plain White T's and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, as well as some blasts from the past: Blind Melon, REO Speedwagon, Squeeze and Duran Duran.

Mumford & Sons, Dave Matthews Band and Kings of Leon are among the other headliners.

NickelodeonIt’s slime time! The lineup for Nickelodeon’s second annual U.S. SlimeFest has been announced.

Pitbull and Bebe Rexha will be taking the stage at the two-day event, taking place June 8 and 9 at the Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago, Illinois.

The fest will also feature performances from teen star JoJo Siwa and rapper T-Pain, as well as appearances from some Nickelodeon stars, and different interactive activities incorporating the network’s signature green slime.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, March 29, at 10 a.m. CT at NickSlimeFest.com.

The event first launched in 2012 in Australia and since then, it's been held in countries such as South Africa, Italy, the U.K. and Spain. Last year was the first time it was held in the U.S.

NickelodeonIt’s slime time! The lineup for Nickelodeon’s second annual U.S. SlimeFest has been announced.

Pitbull and Bebe Rexha will be taking the stage at the two-day event, taking place June 8 and 9 at the Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago, Illinois.

The fest will also feature performances from teen star JoJo Siwa and rapper T-Pain, as well as appearances from some Nickelodeon stars, and different interactive activities incorporating the network’s signature green slime.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, March 29, at 10 a.m. CT at NickSlimeFest.com.

The event first launched in 2012 in Australia and since then, it's been held in countries such as South Africa, Italy, the U.K. and Spain. Last year was the first time it was held in the U.S.

Wes And AlexMaroon 5's "Girls Like You" is one of the band's biggest hits, if not the biggest, and its innovative, star-studded video is one reason why. Now the video has reached an impressive milestone.

The video, with its message of female empowerment, released May 30, 2018, has now racked up two billion views across Vevo and YouTube. It reached that milestone in just 10 months.

While the song itself was #1 for seven weeks and spent 33 weeks in the top 10, it's the video for "Girls Like You" that landed the song on the New York Times' recent list of "The Top 25 Songs That Matter Right Now."

"At a time when women and nonwhite men have been facing down the White House and law enforcement’s relentless disrespect with civic, public and artistic resolve, the most crucial multitude were the 26 female entertainers, athletes, politicians, activists and survivors who seized control of the song’s video," writes the New York Times.

The Times describe Adam Levine in the video as "the ultimate embodiment of a stubbly, privileged white bro who belatedly realizes that he needs his partner."

Wes And AlexMaroon 5's "Girls Like You" is one of the band's biggest hits, if not the biggest, and its innovative, star-studded video is one reason why. Now the video has reached an impressive milestone.

The video, with its message of female empowerment, released May 30, 2018, has now racked up two billion views across Vevo and YouTube. It reached that milestone in just 10 months.

While the song itself was #1 for seven weeks and spent 33 weeks in the top 10, it's the video for "Girls Like You" that landed the song on the New York Times' recent list of "The Top 25 Songs That Matter Right Now."

"At a time when women and nonwhite men have been facing down the White House and law enforcement’s relentless disrespect with civic, public and artistic resolve, the most crucial multitude were the 26 female entertainers, athletes, politicians, activists and survivors who seized control of the song’s video," writes the New York Times.

The Times describe Adam Levine in the video as "the ultimate embodiment of a stubbly, privileged white bro who belatedly realizes that he needs his partner."

]]>Julia Michaels gushes over Pink, says she'd love to duet with Ed Sheeranhttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/45a4078ca903fde355f3e8df87cf73c5
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/45a4078ca903fde355f3e8df87cf73c5ABC/Image Group LAFor the next few months, Julia Michaels will be pulling double duty on the road: She’s weaving headlining tour dates in between her supporting gigs for Pink’s Beautiful Trauma tour. And in a new interview with Inkedmagazine, Julia says she's been a longtime fan of Pink, who balances her own daunting tour schedule with raising two young kids.

“I got to write with her for her last album [Beautiful Trauma] and got to meet her and talk to her, sit down with her...,” Julia says. “It was amazing. She really is who you think she is. She's just a bada**, unapologetic, beautiful, awesome person, and I've gotten to watch her perform a few times.”

She adds, “I've just never seen anything like it. How she can control her voice while doing acrobatics the entire time. It’s pretty exciting and pretty nerve-wracking, but mostly exciting.”

Julia has worked with some of the best in the biz, most recently collaborating with Selena Gomez and Niall Horan on songs for her EP Inner Monologue Part I. She also joined James Bay on his new track, “Peer Pressure.” So who’s left to collab with?

“I've written with Ed Sheeran, but I've never done a song with him,” she says. “I think that would be really awesome because we write very similarly. We both write from the heart.”

She also cites The Weeknd and newcomers Alec Benjamin and Dominic Fike as others she’d like to work with someday.

]]>ABC/Image Group LAFor the next few months, Julia Michaels will be pulling double duty on the road: She’s weaving headlining tour dates in between her supporting gigs for Pink’s Beautiful Trauma tour. And in a new interview with Inkedmagazine, Julia says she's been a longtime fan of Pink, who balances her own daunting tour schedule with raising two young kids.

“I got to write with her for her last album [Beautiful Trauma] and got to meet her and talk to her, sit down with her...,” Julia says. “It was amazing. She really is who you think she is. She's just a bada**, unapologetic, beautiful, awesome person, and I've gotten to watch her perform a few times.”

She adds, “I've just never seen anything like it. How she can control her voice while doing acrobatics the entire time. It’s pretty exciting and pretty nerve-wracking, but mostly exciting.”

Julia has worked with some of the best in the biz, most recently collaborating with Selena Gomez and Niall Horan on songs for her EP Inner Monologue Part I. She also joined James Bay on his new track, “Peer Pressure.” So who’s left to collab with?

“I've written with Ed Sheeran, but I've never done a song with him,” she says. “I think that would be really awesome because we write very similarly. We both write from the heart.”

She also cites The Weeknd and newcomers Alec Benjamin and Dominic Fike as others she’d like to work with someday.

According to Variety, the actor has put his Beverly Hills, California home up for sale for an asking price of nearly $9 million.

The modern, minimalist property features four bedrooms and four bathrooms, a sunken sitting room, a zero-edge swimming pool and spa, and a fire pit. The master suite opens to a lounging and dining deck with skyline views.

It’s unclear if Katy and Orlando will buy a new home together, but they may not need to, since Katy already has plenty of properties to choose from.

Last month she sold two side-by-side homes at the top of Runyon Canyon for $12.7 million, but she still owns two multi-million-dollar homes in Beverly Hills and is involved in an ongoing bid to acquire a convent in Los Feliz that she plans to convert into a family compound.

According to Variety, the actor has put his Beverly Hills, California home up for sale for an asking price of nearly $9 million.

The modern, minimalist property features four bedrooms and four bathrooms, a sunken sitting room, a zero-edge swimming pool and spa, and a fire pit. The master suite opens to a lounging and dining deck with skyline views.

It’s unclear if Katy and Orlando will buy a new home together, but they may not need to, since Katy already has plenty of properties to choose from.

Last month she sold two side-by-side homes at the top of Runyon Canyon for $12.7 million, but she still owns two multi-million-dollar homes in Beverly Hills and is involved in an ongoing bid to acquire a convent in Los Feliz that she plans to convert into a family compound.

]]>Why Don't We and Macklemore team up for anti-party anthem, "I Don't Belong in This Club"http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/00ca4c7771bfd379e3c33c794737eb05
Wed, 20 Mar 2019 15:00:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/00ca4c7771bfd379e3c33c794737eb05

Atlantic RecordsWhy Don’t We has teamed up with Macklemore for their new song, an ode to staying in called “I Don't Belong in This Club.”

The boy band and the rapper released the surprise collab Wednesday, along with a music video. In the clip, they poke fun at everything annoying about a night out: waiting on line, paying the cover charge and getting stuck with DJ playing the same songs on repeat.

When Macklemore rolls up, he transforms the dull club into a colorful ‘70s disco.

“Shoulda stayed on the sofa/Forgot I hate being social/And I miss my ex-girl/This Drake song makin’ me ‘motional/I’m feelin’ awkward as hell," Macklemore raps. "I only came here to dance/The DJ ain’t playin’ the cuts/And what do I do with my hands"

Atlantic RecordsWhy Don’t We has teamed up with Macklemore for their new song, an ode to staying in called “I Don't Belong in This Club.”

The boy band and the rapper released the surprise collab Wednesday, along with a music video. In the clip, they poke fun at everything annoying about a night out: waiting on line, paying the cover charge and getting stuck with DJ playing the same songs on repeat.

When Macklemore rolls up, he transforms the dull club into a colorful ‘70s disco.

“Shoulda stayed on the sofa/Forgot I hate being social/And I miss my ex-girl/This Drake song makin’ me ‘motional/I’m feelin’ awkward as hell," Macklemore raps. "I only came here to dance/The DJ ain’t playin’ the cuts/And what do I do with my hands"

]]>What's holding up Blake's marriage to Gwen? "Us Weekly" claims it's the Catholic Churchhttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/2c72239e518e5e9f8863c48bf326057a
Wed, 20 Mar 2019 13:32:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/2c72239e518e5e9f8863c48bf326057aPhoto by John Shearer/Getty Images via ABCIt’s no secret Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are quite the happy couple these days -- so why haven’t they tied the knot? Us Weekly claims to know the answer.

Citing an unnamed, exclusive source, the publication says Gwen is waiting on the Catholic Church. She’s allegedly begun “the formal process” to have her marriage to rocker Gavin Rossdale annulled, “so she can marry Blake and have it be recognized by the church.”

]]>Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images via ABCIt’s no secret Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are quite the happy couple these days -- so why haven’t they tied the knot? Us Weekly claims to know the answer.

Citing an unnamed, exclusive source, the publication says Gwen is waiting on the Catholic Church. She’s allegedly begun “the formal process” to have her marriage to rocker Gavin Rossdale annulled, “so she can marry Blake and have it be recognized by the church.”

On her track “7 Rings,” Ariana Grande sings about using her hard-earned money to buy some of her favorite things. But as it turns out, she’s not earning much money from the song itself.

The New York Times reports that Ariana signed away 90 percent of her songwriting royalties to legendary songwriting duo Rodgers and Hammerstein. That’s because the majority of the song’s melody is from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “My Favorite Things,” sung by Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music.

Ariana’s favorite things are far from raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, though. They include “breakfast at Tiffany's and bottles of bubbles” and “lashes and diamonds, ATM machines.”

According to the Times, Republic Records made the licensing deal just weeks before the song’s January release and, without further negotiation, agreed to hand over the hefty percentage to Concord, the company that owns the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalog. Rodgers and Hammerstein died in 1979 and 1960, respectively.

“[‘7 Rings’] wouldn’t exist in its current form were it not for ‘My Favorite Things,’” Concord chief publishing executive Jake Wisely told the Times.

In 2006, Gwen Stefani agreed to give up 50 percent of her songwriting royalties for sampling the yodeling heard in The Sound of Music’s “Lonely Goatherd” on her song “Wind It Up.”

On her track “7 Rings,” Ariana Grande sings about using her hard-earned money to buy some of her favorite things. But as it turns out, she’s not earning much money from the song itself.

The New York Times reports that Ariana signed away 90 percent of her songwriting royalties to legendary songwriting duo Rodgers and Hammerstein. That’s because the majority of the song’s melody is from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “My Favorite Things,” sung by Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music.

Ariana’s favorite things are far from raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, though. They include “breakfast at Tiffany's and bottles of bubbles” and “lashes and diamonds, ATM machines.”

According to the Times, Republic Records made the licensing deal just weeks before the song’s January release and, without further negotiation, agreed to hand over the hefty percentage to Concord, the company that owns the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalog. Rodgers and Hammerstein died in 1979 and 1960, respectively.

“[‘7 Rings’] wouldn’t exist in its current form were it not for ‘My Favorite Things,’” Concord chief publishing executive Jake Wisely told the Times.

In 2006, Gwen Stefani agreed to give up 50 percent of her songwriting royalties for sampling the yodeling heard in The Sound of Music’s “Lonely Goatherd” on her song “Wind It Up.”

Getty Images For DCP via ABC/Kevin Mazur/AMA2018Post Malone has released the music video for his song “Wow.” and he brought a viral video star along for the ride.

The clip for the boastful, bumping track gives a behind-the-scenes look at the rapper’s crazy life on the road. We see him backstage at the Grammys and shots of him traveling the world while on tour.

The video also features a man named Mike Alancourt, who gained internet fame – and appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show -- for dancing to “Wow.” in a viral Instagram video. Post gives over almost the entire second half of the video to the bald, bearded fan, who shows off even more dance moves.

Getty Images For DCP via ABC/Kevin Mazur/AMA2018Post Malone has released the music video for his song “Wow.” and he brought a viral video star along for the ride.

The clip for the boastful, bumping track gives a behind-the-scenes look at the rapper’s crazy life on the road. We see him backstage at the Grammys and shots of him traveling the world while on tour.

The video also features a man named Mike Alancourt, who gained internet fame – and appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show -- for dancing to “Wow.” in a viral Instagram video. Post gives over almost the entire second half of the video to the bald, bearded fan, who shows off even more dance moves.

Lollapalooza will take place August 1-4 at Grant Park in Chicago. Four-day tickets for the all-ages festival are on sale now at Lollapalooza.com/Tickets. One-day tickets will be available at a later date.

Lollapalooza will take place August 1-4 at Grant Park in Chicago. Four-day tickets for the all-ages festival are on sale now at Lollapalooza.com/Tickets. One-day tickets will be available at a later date.

]]>Fletcher says she gets the "craziest DMs" from fans who can relate to "Undrunk"http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/b95da0d08100484889be7d69ae7a0119
Wed, 20 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/b95da0d08100484889be7d69ae7a0119

Grace PickeringFletcher’s breakup song, “Undrunk,” has been connecting with fans thanks to its brutally honest lyrics. They’re relating so hard, in fact, that they've been sliding into the singer’s DMs to share their own stories of heartbreak.

“I think because the lyric is so just vulnerable and honest, that I feel like people wanna be honest and vulnerable in return,” Fletcher tells ABC Radio.

“And so I’ve just been getting, like, the craziest DMs about...stories about somebody’s ex or what they’ve been through or how this song is helping them through a breakup right now,” she adds.

Fletcher says being able to connect with fans in that way is “the most rewarding thing," because she says, "I wrote that song from, like, the most broken spot in my entire life.”

She says the song was born from being incredibly heartbroken over someone she had loved for a long time.

“It was a situation that I never got any closure from and, you know, this EP that I have coming and ‘Undrunk’ being like sort of the tip of the iceberg of it, is kind of just my version of closure, and getting to say all of the things that I haven't ever been able to say to that person,” she says.

Last night, Fletcher made her TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She'll perform on NBC's Today show on Thursday.

Grace PickeringFletcher’s breakup song, “Undrunk,” has been connecting with fans thanks to its brutally honest lyrics. They’re relating so hard, in fact, that they've been sliding into the singer’s DMs to share their own stories of heartbreak.

“I think because the lyric is so just vulnerable and honest, that I feel like people wanna be honest and vulnerable in return,” Fletcher tells ABC Radio.

“And so I’ve just been getting, like, the craziest DMs about...stories about somebody’s ex or what they’ve been through or how this song is helping them through a breakup right now,” she adds.

Fletcher says being able to connect with fans in that way is “the most rewarding thing," because she says, "I wrote that song from, like, the most broken spot in my entire life.”

She says the song was born from being incredibly heartbroken over someone she had loved for a long time.

“It was a situation that I never got any closure from and, you know, this EP that I have coming and ‘Undrunk’ being like sort of the tip of the iceberg of it, is kind of just my version of closure, and getting to say all of the things that I haven't ever been able to say to that person,” she says.

Last night, Fletcher made her TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She'll perform on NBC's Today show on Thursday.

]]>Miley Cyrus, Halsey, Janelle Mon&aacute;e &amp; more to play Woodstock 50 festivalhttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/03f9818aefd705c65ee356c7141720e5
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 21:16:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/03f9818aefd705c65ee356c7141720e5Miley Cyrus; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicMiley Cyrus, Halsey and Janelle Monáe are among the performers at the Woodstock 50 Music and Arts Fair in August.

Chance the Rapper, India.Arie, Jay-Z, Common and many others are also on the official lineup of more than 80 artists scheduled to appear at the 50th anniversary commemorative festival of the legendary, original 1969 rock and roll festival. Many of the surviving rock and folk artists who performed at Woodstock '69 also will perform at Woodstock 50.

The event takes place August 16 to 18 at Watkins Glen International Speedway in Watkins Glen, New York, about an hour and a half away from the original site of Woodstock '69.

“We’ve lined up artists who won’t just entertain but will remind the world that music has the power to bring people together, to heal, to move us to action and to tell the stories of a generation,” says Michael Lang, who co-founded the 1969 festival and produced the 2019 Woodstock festivals. “Our hope is that today, just as in 1969, music will be the constant that can inspire positive change.”

]]>Miley Cyrus; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicMiley Cyrus, Halsey and Janelle Monáe are among the performers at the Woodstock 50 Music and Arts Fair in August.

Chance the Rapper, India.Arie, Jay-Z, Common and many others are also on the official lineup of more than 80 artists scheduled to appear at the 50th anniversary commemorative festival of the legendary, original 1969 rock and roll festival. Many of the surviving rock and folk artists who performed at Woodstock '69 also will perform at Woodstock 50.

The event takes place August 16 to 18 at Watkins Glen International Speedway in Watkins Glen, New York, about an hour and a half away from the original site of Woodstock '69.

“We’ve lined up artists who won’t just entertain but will remind the world that music has the power to bring people together, to heal, to move us to action and to tell the stories of a generation,” says Michael Lang, who co-founded the 1969 festival and produced the 2019 Woodstock festivals. “Our hope is that today, just as in 1969, music will be the constant that can inspire positive change.”

ABC/Paula LoboCamila Cabello is putting her money towards a good cause.

The singer has reportedly donated $10,000 to a GoFundMe page to help an eight-year-old homeless Nigerian refugee and his family.

The boy, Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi, gained attention last week after he was profiled in The New York Timesfor being crowned the New York state chess champion in his age range. He learned the game just one year ago at PS 116 in New York.

Tani and his family fled terrorist violence in northern Nigeria in 2017 and currently live in a Manhattan homeless shelter.

Thanks in part to Camila’s generous donation, the GoFundMe page has far surpassed its $50,000 goal in just three days. The total is now approaching $175,000.

ABC/Paula LoboCamila Cabello is putting her money towards a good cause.

The singer has reportedly donated $10,000 to a GoFundMe page to help an eight-year-old homeless Nigerian refugee and his family.

The boy, Tanitoluwa “Tani” Adewumi, gained attention last week after he was profiled in The New York Timesfor being crowned the New York state chess champion in his age range. He learned the game just one year ago at PS 116 in New York.

Tani and his family fled terrorist violence in northern Nigeria in 2017 and currently live in a Manhattan homeless shelter.

Thanks in part to Camila’s generous donation, the GoFundMe page has far surpassed its $50,000 goal in just three days. The total is now approaching $175,000.

ABC/Randy HolmesKaty Perry and wine: What more do you need in a charity event?

The singer will be participating in Auction Napa Valley, a charity wine event that raises money for local non-profit organizations in Napa County, California. She’ll be kicking off the live auction on June 1 with a performance of her most popular songs.

Food Network star and cookbook author Ayesha Curry will also be on hand to help cook up food for the guests.

The multi-day event will be held from May 30 to June 2. If you want to buy tickets, they range from a $20,000 per couple "VIP Experience" to $150 tickets that don't include access to Katy's concert, but do get you dancing, food and unlimited booze.

Last year’s auction raised $11 million in live bids and $13.6 million overall for local charities, which help community health programs and childhood education efforts.

ABC/Randy HolmesKaty Perry and wine: What more do you need in a charity event?

The singer will be participating in Auction Napa Valley, a charity wine event that raises money for local non-profit organizations in Napa County, California. She’ll be kicking off the live auction on June 1 with a performance of her most popular songs.

Food Network star and cookbook author Ayesha Curry will also be on hand to help cook up food for the guests.

The multi-day event will be held from May 30 to June 2. If you want to buy tickets, they range from a $20,000 per couple "VIP Experience" to $150 tickets that don't include access to Katy's concert, but do get you dancing, food and unlimited booze.

Last year’s auction raised $11 million in live bids and $13.6 million overall for local charities, which help community health programs and childhood education efforts.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana GrandeWell, this may explain why Ariana Grande has been spotted hanging with some of her exes recently.

Us Weekly reports the singer attempted to make amends with her former boyfriends ahead of her Sweetener world tour, which kicked off Monday night in Albany, NY.

“After ‘thank u, next’ came out, Ariana was really living her single life and being with her friends, learning about herself,” a source tells Us. “But after a couple weeks, she was trying to figure out what went wrong with her past relationships.”

The insider adds, “She didn’t want any bad blood holding her back from the next phase of her life. She has reached out to her exes to have a positive place in her life right now and for peace of mind, so she can focus on herself and this tour, which is the only thing on her mind right now.”

Over the past couple of months, Ariana has been spotted with exes Ricky Alvarez and Big Sean, both of whom are named-checked in “thank u, next.”

Meanwhile, Ariana’s last two albums – Sweetener and thank u, next – have now been certified platinum, while her hit singles “No Tears Left to Cry” and "God Is a Woman" have been certified triple-platinum and double-platinum respectively.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana GrandeWell, this may explain why Ariana Grande has been spotted hanging with some of her exes recently.

Us Weekly reports the singer attempted to make amends with her former boyfriends ahead of her Sweetener world tour, which kicked off Monday night in Albany, NY.

“After ‘thank u, next’ came out, Ariana was really living her single life and being with her friends, learning about herself,” a source tells Us. “But after a couple weeks, she was trying to figure out what went wrong with her past relationships.”

The insider adds, “She didn’t want any bad blood holding her back from the next phase of her life. She has reached out to her exes to have a positive place in her life right now and for peace of mind, so she can focus on herself and this tour, which is the only thing on her mind right now.”

Over the past couple of months, Ariana has been spotted with exes Ricky Alvarez and Big Sean, both of whom are named-checked in “thank u, next.”

Meanwhile, Ariana’s last two albums – Sweetener and thank u, next – have now been certified platinum, while her hit singles “No Tears Left to Cry” and "God Is a Woman" have been certified triple-platinum and double-platinum respectively.

Travis P Ball/Getty Images for SXSWLance Bass has landed a new TV gig.

Entertainment Tonight reports the former *NSYNC member will be guest-starring on an upcoming episode of ABC’s Single Parents.

He’ll play a fictional version of himself who run the most sought-after sleep-away camp in America: Lance Bass Space Camp. The camp combines space education and the performing arts, in a nod to two of Lance’s real-life passions. Remember his failed mission to become an astronaut back in 2002?

"I thought that was hilarious and I was very down to play that role," Lance tells ET. "I guess it's a really good joke when you put Lance Bass and space together because it works."

When he was 23, Lance tried to secure a seat on a Russian space mission and went through astronaut training to become certified. During the process, he discovered he had a heart problem, and had to undergo surgery to correct it. Eventually, he was certified as a cosmonaut, but funding for the project ultimately fell through and he didn't get to go to space after all.

Travis P Ball/Getty Images for SXSWLance Bass has landed a new TV gig.

Entertainment Tonight reports the former *NSYNC member will be guest-starring on an upcoming episode of ABC’s Single Parents.

He’ll play a fictional version of himself who run the most sought-after sleep-away camp in America: Lance Bass Space Camp. The camp combines space education and the performing arts, in a nod to two of Lance’s real-life passions. Remember his failed mission to become an astronaut back in 2002?

"I thought that was hilarious and I was very down to play that role," Lance tells ET. "I guess it's a really good joke when you put Lance Bass and space together because it works."

When he was 23, Lance tried to secure a seat on a Russian space mission and went through astronaut training to become certified. During the process, he discovered he had a heart problem, and had to undergo surgery to correct it. Eventually, he was certified as a cosmonaut, but funding for the project ultimately fell through and he didn't get to go to space after all.

]]>Cardi B. to make film debut in "stripper revenge" drama starring J-Lo, Keke Palmer and Constance Wuhttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/5b5e38ea35fe5a2249897f2385a686b0
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 13:36:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/5b5e38ea35fe5a2249897f2385a686b0ABC/Image Group LACardi B. has set her feature film debut and it's safe to say that she can definitely help her co-stars prepare for their roles.

According to Deadline, Cardi is set to star in Hustlers, a "stripper revenge" film that follows "a crew of saavy former strip club employees" who come together to "turn the tables on their Wall Street clients."

As most fans know, Cardi worked as a stripper in New York City before she became a Grammy-Award winning music star.

]]>ABC/Image Group LACardi B. has set her feature film debut and it's safe to say that she can definitely help her co-stars prepare for their roles.

According to Deadline, Cardi is set to star in Hustlers, a "stripper revenge" film that follows "a crew of saavy former strip club employees" who come together to "turn the tables on their Wall Street clients."

As most fans know, Cardi worked as a stripper in New York City before she became a Grammy-Award winning music star.

Zhamak FulladWhile Lauv and Troye Sivan’s duet “i’m so tired…” seemed to have come together quickly, the two singers say they had actually been working on the tune for months before they finally got it right.

In a new episode of Billboard’s “How It Went Down,” Lauv and Troye say they initially wrote the track in June of last year and had been constantly tweaking it since then.

It all started when Lauv played Troye a short chorus he has been toying with. “I just like fully flipped out,” Troye says. “Like outwardly flipped out.”

They immediately started writing the verses and pre-chorus.

“We were sitting in my backyard kinda just talking about that process of when you miss somebody and everything reminds you of them,” Lauv says. “You kind of on purpose listen to all the songs that you guys used to listen to together, or songs that you were listening to when you guys broke up.”

To get the song radio-ready, they decided to eliminate the bridge they had written and enlisted songwriter Oscar Görres, who worked with Troye on his album Bloom, to help piece everything together.

Troye says he hopes the song with resonate with people who are going through a breakup.

He says, “I hope that they can listen to this song that kind of is, in a strange way, a little bit uplifting while still feeling understood by it."

Zhamak FulladWhile Lauv and Troye Sivan’s duet “i’m so tired…” seemed to have come together quickly, the two singers say they had actually been working on the tune for months before they finally got it right.

In a new episode of Billboard’s “How It Went Down,” Lauv and Troye say they initially wrote the track in June of last year and had been constantly tweaking it since then.

It all started when Lauv played Troye a short chorus he has been toying with. “I just like fully flipped out,” Troye says. “Like outwardly flipped out.”

They immediately started writing the verses and pre-chorus.

“We were sitting in my backyard kinda just talking about that process of when you miss somebody and everything reminds you of them,” Lauv says. “You kind of on purpose listen to all the songs that you guys used to listen to together, or songs that you were listening to when you guys broke up.”

To get the song radio-ready, they decided to eliminate the bridge they had written and enlisted songwriter Oscar Görres, who worked with Troye on his album Bloom, to help piece everything together.

Troye says he hopes the song with resonate with people who are going through a breakup.

He says, “I hope that they can listen to this song that kind of is, in a strange way, a little bit uplifting while still feeling understood by it."

]]>AJ McLean shows love through the years in "Boy and a Man" videohttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/e7c628d54269f55a20efb14cfd5049e3
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 12:00:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/e7c628d54269f55a20efb14cfd5049e3

Tyler ShieldsAJ McLean has released the video for his first official country single, “Boy and a Man.”

The clip tells the story of a lifelong love, inspired by the Disney movie Up. It begins with AJ, as an old man, sitting in a rocking chair on his porch. The video then shows us the love story of a couple from childhood all the way through old age. AJ’s real-life wife, Rochelle, even makes an appearance.

“A look at the future. Lol,” AJ tweeted, along with a photo of himself in the old-man makeup. “Was so much fun to take inspiration from the movie Up for the #BoyAndAMan music video. Hope you all are enjoying it.”

AJ will debut his country-influenced solo album, Long Road, this spring. In addition to launching his solo project, he’ll be kicking off the Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour in May.

Tyler ShieldsAJ McLean has released the video for his first official country single, “Boy and a Man.”

The clip tells the story of a lifelong love, inspired by the Disney movie Up. It begins with AJ, as an old man, sitting in a rocking chair on his porch. The video then shows us the love story of a couple from childhood all the way through old age. AJ’s real-life wife, Rochelle, even makes an appearance.

“A look at the future. Lol,” AJ tweeted, along with a photo of himself in the old-man makeup. “Was so much fun to take inspiration from the movie Up for the #BoyAndAMan music video. Hope you all are enjoying it.”

AJ will debut his country-influenced solo album, Long Road, this spring. In addition to launching his solo project, he’ll be kicking off the Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour in May.

]]>Cardi B pays heartfelt tribute to Bardi Gang member who passed awayhttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/c2a90e8e2d186c12eb28489854e673b6
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:27:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/c2a90e8e2d186c12eb28489854e673b6Jorda FrantzisCardi B's social media posts are usually funny or outrageous, but she's just shared one that's very touching: It's a tribute to a fan who passed away from cancer.

In the photo, Cardi is seen embracing a fan wearing a Cardi B t-shirt at a hospital. She wrote in the caption, "This makes me so sad...RIP babygirl. My condolence to her wonderful parents and family."

"When I met this young lady i literally had to hold her and put her against my body cause she couldn’t barely stand yet she was sooo happy in a great spirit and her make up on super fleek," Cardi continued.

The photo appears to have be taken in the hospital she visited while she was in Atlanta for the Super Bowl last month. A photo at the time, posted by the hospital, of Cardi signing a fan's cast, shows her wearing the same outfit that she has on in the picture with Alaysia.

]]>Jorda FrantzisCardi B's social media posts are usually funny or outrageous, but she's just shared one that's very touching: It's a tribute to a fan who passed away from cancer.

In the photo, Cardi is seen embracing a fan wearing a Cardi B t-shirt at a hospital. She wrote in the caption, "This makes me so sad...RIP babygirl. My condolence to her wonderful parents and family."

"When I met this young lady i literally had to hold her and put her against my body cause she couldn’t barely stand yet she was sooo happy in a great spirit and her make up on super fleek," Cardi continued.

The photo appears to have be taken in the hospital she visited while she was in Atlanta for the Super Bowl last month. A photo at the time, posted by the hospital, of Cardi signing a fan's cast, shows her wearing the same outfit that she has on in the picture with Alaysia.

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are putting wedding plans on an “indefinite hold” while Justin works on his mental health, a source tells People.

“They will still have a wedding eventually, but this is not their focus right now,” the source says. “They haven’t sent out any new save-the-dates. They will wait until Justin feels better and is excited about planning their wedding again.”

Justin and Hailey, who married in a secret courthouse ceremony last September, had initially been planning to celebrate their union with family and friends this year. But earlier this month, Justin revealed on Instagram that he has been “struggling a lot” and asked for prayers.

“Justin is still receiving treatment on both coasts, but is doing okay,” the source explains. “He is very, very focused on getting better. He wants to be in a great place for his own and Hailey’s sake. He is still confident that he will get there.”

Over the weekend, the two were photographed spending some time at a California beach.

“They seem happy about spending a few days in L.A.,” the insider says. “Hailey isn’t putting any pressure on him at all. She only wants him to focus on his mental health.”

A few days ago, Hailey wrote on her Instagram Story, "Don't believe what ya read on the internet folks," and added an eyeroll emoji and a "FAKE NEWS" sticker.

Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are putting wedding plans on an “indefinite hold” while Justin works on his mental health, a source tells People.

“They will still have a wedding eventually, but this is not their focus right now,” the source says. “They haven’t sent out any new save-the-dates. They will wait until Justin feels better and is excited about planning their wedding again.”

Justin and Hailey, who married in a secret courthouse ceremony last September, had initially been planning to celebrate their union with family and friends this year. But earlier this month, Justin revealed on Instagram that he has been “struggling a lot” and asked for prayers.

“Justin is still receiving treatment on both coasts, but is doing okay,” the source explains. “He is very, very focused on getting better. He wants to be in a great place for his own and Hailey’s sake. He is still confident that he will get there.”

Over the weekend, the two were photographed spending some time at a California beach.

“They seem happy about spending a few days in L.A.,” the insider says. “Hailey isn’t putting any pressure on him at all. She only wants him to focus on his mental health.”

A few days ago, Hailey wrote on her Instagram Story, "Don't believe what ya read on the internet folks," and added an eyeroll emoji and a "FAKE NEWS" sticker.

]]>Remember that heist movie with Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o? The actress' lips are sealed on the detailshttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/b7f3b7bc3ccafc98164f24c6097bb40b
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 09:41:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/b7f3b7bc3ccafc98164f24c6097bb40bPascal Le Segretain/Getty ImagesThe good news it that the long-awaited, Twitter-spawned heist movie starring Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o is happening. The bad news is that the Oscar-winning actress isn't talking about it.

Asked by E! what she could tell them about the movie, the Black Panther star smirked and then said, "I can tell you absolutely nothing about that."

Just to refresh your memory, the idea for the film came from a 2017 Twitter post responding to a photo of Rihanna and Lupita together in 2014 at a fashion show.

"Rihanna looks like she scams rich white men and lupita is the computer smart best friend that helps plan the scams," wrote the Twitter user.

Twitter clamored for the movie to actually be made, and both stars said they were game. Twitter then suggested that Issa Rae should write the script and Ava DuVernay should direct -- and the Insecure star and award-winning director also agreed to participate.

In 2017, Entertainment Weeklyreported that Netflix had aggressively bid and won the rights to the movie; production was supposed to have begun last year.

By the way, a Tumblr post that predated the 2017 tweet by several years had a similar caption: "They look like they’re in a heist movie with Rihanna as the tough-as-nails leader/master thief and Lupita as the genius computer hacker."

Vanity Fair later reported that the Twitter users who came up with the concept for the project would be credited, but it's not clear if the Tumblr user is included in that group.

]]>Pascal Le Segretain/Getty ImagesThe good news it that the long-awaited, Twitter-spawned heist movie starring Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o is happening. The bad news is that the Oscar-winning actress isn't talking about it.

Asked by E! what she could tell them about the movie, the Black Panther star smirked and then said, "I can tell you absolutely nothing about that."

Just to refresh your memory, the idea for the film came from a 2017 Twitter post responding to a photo of Rihanna and Lupita together in 2014 at a fashion show.

"Rihanna looks like she scams rich white men and lupita is the computer smart best friend that helps plan the scams," wrote the Twitter user.

Twitter clamored for the movie to actually be made, and both stars said they were game. Twitter then suggested that Issa Rae should write the script and Ava DuVernay should direct -- and the Insecure star and award-winning director also agreed to participate.

In 2017, Entertainment Weeklyreported that Netflix had aggressively bid and won the rights to the movie; production was supposed to have begun last year.

By the way, a Tumblr post that predated the 2017 tweet by several years had a similar caption: "They look like they’re in a heist movie with Rihanna as the tough-as-nails leader/master thief and Lupita as the genius computer hacker."

Vanity Fair later reported that the Twitter users who came up with the concept for the project would be credited, but it's not clear if the Tumblr user is included in that group.

According to the BBC, that the music of Ariana's late boyfriend Mac Miller played as fans walked into the Times-Union Center in Albany, but she chose not to perform two songs -- "Ghostin'" and "Imagine" -- that are about their relationship. As the BBC noted, Ariana said during soundcheck that "Imagine" was "too heavy" to play live.

But the show was mostly a celebration, kicking off with "Raindrops (An Angel Cried)," and then seguing into "God Is a Woman," staged to resemble Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper.

While the set list focused mainly on her Sweetener and Thank u, next albums, Ari also sang older hits like "Into You," "Side to Side," "Break Free" and "One Last Time." The 90-minute show ended with "No Tears Left to Cry" and "thank u, next."

Afterwards, Ari wrote on Instagram, "I really dunno what to say yet. for now, thank you will suffice. a dream come true [type-A] night. i love you. so much. thank you."

According to the BBC, that the music of Ariana's late boyfriend Mac Miller played as fans walked into the Times-Union Center in Albany, but she chose not to perform two songs -- "Ghostin'" and "Imagine" -- that are about their relationship. As the BBC noted, Ariana said during soundcheck that "Imagine" was "too heavy" to play live.

But the show was mostly a celebration, kicking off with "Raindrops (An Angel Cried)," and then seguing into "God Is a Woman," staged to resemble Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper.

While the set list focused mainly on her Sweetener and Thank u, next albums, Ari also sang older hits like "Into You," "Side to Side," "Break Free" and "One Last Time." The 90-minute show ended with "No Tears Left to Cry" and "thank u, next."

Afterwards, Ari wrote on Instagram, "I really dunno what to say yet. for now, thank you will suffice. a dream come true [type-A] night. i love you. so much. thank you."

]]>'The Voice' recap: the coaches make their final team selectionshttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/a7d5b4ab2262a639e5f921cb63bcf83a
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/a7d5b4ab2262a639e5f921cb63bcf83aCelia Babini auditions on "The Voice"; Tyler Golden/NBCThe blind auditions wrapped up on Monday night's episode of The Voice as each coach picked their final team members.

Seventeen-year-old Celia Babini, a native New Yorker, began the show with an intense performance of "idontwannabeyouanymore" by Billie Eilish. All four coaches turned their chairs, noting Celia's obvious vocal maturity, even comparing her to Fiona Apple. But Adam Levine's praise cut through: "There's a certain kind of intensity and a certain kind of raw power that singing can have, you embody all of that..." he said before Celia joined his team.

Arguably, Cecily Hennigan from South Carolina gave as impressive of a performance, but somehow only earned one chair turn. The 16-year-old, who stars in a viral video of herself singing a McDonald's order at a drive thru, belted out Jewel's "Foolish Games." Blake Shelton quickly turned his chair and spent the rest of the performance seemingly mystified that none of the other coaches turned. "What in the hell just happened?" he wondered incredulously, welcoming Cecily to Team Blake.

Later, it was Kelly Clarkson's turn to react in disbelief of her fellow coaches. Hers was the only chair to turn for 24-year-old David Owens from Indianapolis. The new father sang "I Can't Make You Love Me," by Bonnie Raitt. Kelly said she enjoyed a man singing that particular song about the pain of a one-sided romantic relationship. As for why none of the other coaches turned: "They're all nuts," she said.

Kalvin Jarvis, 29, is an assistant manager at an IHOP in Arizona. His mom is the manager. His bold song choice, "A Good Night" by none other than John Legend, got John moving in his chair but he did not turn it. "I'm probably too picky on my own songs," he admitted. But Adam and Kelly did turn and it was Adam who ultimately won out.

Presley Tennant, 16, is a self-proclaimed tomboy with a singing back story that sounds like the plot of an episode of Hannah Montana. She was discovered during a singing competition by the mayor of her small California town, who then introduced her to the manager of an all-girl group called 5 Little Princesses. She joined Kelly's team after her performance of "Stone Cold" by Demi Lovato.

Rod Stokes, 34, from Alabama describes himself as a gospel country singer, but chose the Bee Gees "To Love Somebody" for his performance. It may have confused Adam, who mistakenly referred to it as a James Morrison song before Blake quickly corrected him. "It's a famous cover of a Bee Gees song!" Adam tried to clarify. Rod sided with Blake, marking the completion of Blake's team as we head into the battle rounds.

Adam completed his team thanks to another country singer. Andrew Jannakos doesn't look the part of a country musician, but the Georgia native's performance of "Beautiful Crazy," by Luke Combs, left no doubt. Adam's final team selection is also his first country singer of the season.

Kayslin Victoria from Florida is a volunteer at a horse rescue. The 16-year-old got to choose between John and Kelly after her performance of Portugal. The Man's upbeat "Feel It Still." She decided on John, who described her as having a "really good voice for pop music." And with that, team John is complete.

It took until the final performance of the night for Kelly to fill out her team roster. Jackson Marlow, 18, also fit within Kelly's often expressed desire to coach at least one male country vocalist. The Alabama native, whose uncle was a member of Blake's team in season 13 of The Voice, performed "Troubadour," by George Strait. Pointing out that she almost always loses out to Blake when it comes to country artists, Kelly said that Jackson was "so worth the wait."

Other contestants in the blind auditions included:

Ava August, 13 years old, youngest to audition in Voice history.Sang: "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals.Judges: No one turned.

Calista Garcia, 17 years old, father appointed asst. secretary of the Navy by President Obama.Sang: "Wishing Well" by Terence Trent D'Arby.Judges: No one turned.

Maddi Fraser, 24 years old, has a twin sister.Sang: "Get It While You Can" by Janis Joplin.Judges: No one turned.

The battle rounds begin on The Voice next Monday, March 25 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

]]>Celia Babini auditions on "The Voice"; Tyler Golden/NBCThe blind auditions wrapped up on Monday night's episode of The Voice as each coach picked their final team members.

Seventeen-year-old Celia Babini, a native New Yorker, began the show with an intense performance of "idontwannabeyouanymore" by Billie Eilish. All four coaches turned their chairs, noting Celia's obvious vocal maturity, even comparing her to Fiona Apple. But Adam Levine's praise cut through: "There's a certain kind of intensity and a certain kind of raw power that singing can have, you embody all of that..." he said before Celia joined his team.

Arguably, Cecily Hennigan from South Carolina gave as impressive of a performance, but somehow only earned one chair turn. The 16-year-old, who stars in a viral video of herself singing a McDonald's order at a drive thru, belted out Jewel's "Foolish Games." Blake Shelton quickly turned his chair and spent the rest of the performance seemingly mystified that none of the other coaches turned. "What in the hell just happened?" he wondered incredulously, welcoming Cecily to Team Blake.

Later, it was Kelly Clarkson's turn to react in disbelief of her fellow coaches. Hers was the only chair to turn for 24-year-old David Owens from Indianapolis. The new father sang "I Can't Make You Love Me," by Bonnie Raitt. Kelly said she enjoyed a man singing that particular song about the pain of a one-sided romantic relationship. As for why none of the other coaches turned: "They're all nuts," she said.

Kalvin Jarvis, 29, is an assistant manager at an IHOP in Arizona. His mom is the manager. His bold song choice, "A Good Night" by none other than John Legend, got John moving in his chair but he did not turn it. "I'm probably too picky on my own songs," he admitted. But Adam and Kelly did turn and it was Adam who ultimately won out.

Presley Tennant, 16, is a self-proclaimed tomboy with a singing back story that sounds like the plot of an episode of Hannah Montana. She was discovered during a singing competition by the mayor of her small California town, who then introduced her to the manager of an all-girl group called 5 Little Princesses. She joined Kelly's team after her performance of "Stone Cold" by Demi Lovato.

Rod Stokes, 34, from Alabama describes himself as a gospel country singer, but chose the Bee Gees "To Love Somebody" for his performance. It may have confused Adam, who mistakenly referred to it as a James Morrison song before Blake quickly corrected him. "It's a famous cover of a Bee Gees song!" Adam tried to clarify. Rod sided with Blake, marking the completion of Blake's team as we head into the battle rounds.

Adam completed his team thanks to another country singer. Andrew Jannakos doesn't look the part of a country musician, but the Georgia native's performance of "Beautiful Crazy," by Luke Combs, left no doubt. Adam's final team selection is also his first country singer of the season.

Kayslin Victoria from Florida is a volunteer at a horse rescue. The 16-year-old got to choose between John and Kelly after her performance of Portugal. The Man's upbeat "Feel It Still." She decided on John, who described her as having a "really good voice for pop music." And with that, team John is complete.

It took until the final performance of the night for Kelly to fill out her team roster. Jackson Marlow, 18, also fit within Kelly's often expressed desire to coach at least one male country vocalist. The Alabama native, whose uncle was a member of Blake's team in season 13 of The Voice, performed "Troubadour," by George Strait. Pointing out that she almost always loses out to Blake when it comes to country artists, Kelly said that Jackson was "so worth the wait."

Other contestants in the blind auditions included:

Ava August, 13 years old, youngest to audition in Voice history.Sang: "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals.Judges: No one turned.

Calista Garcia, 17 years old, father appointed asst. secretary of the Navy by President Obama.Sang: "Wishing Well" by Terence Trent D'Arby.Judges: No one turned.

Maddi Fraser, 24 years old, has a twin sister.Sang: "Get It While You Can" by Janis Joplin.Judges: No one turned.

The battle rounds begin on The Voice next Monday, March 25 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

]]>'American Idol' final auditions: Surprise appearances, a former country star and a Maddie Poppe prankhttp://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/4b83f003b61c0c72bdf6fb51e685aae9
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0500http://ac1027.com/abc-music-news/4b83f003b61c0c72bdf6fb51e685aae9"American Idol" champ Maddie Poppe removes her disguise; ABC/Kelsey McNealAmericanIdol's final audition episode of the season aired Monday night, and it was a crazy combination of unexpected guest appearances, the usual sob stories and one very funny prank, courtesy of reigning Idol champ Maddie Poppe.

Attack of last season's finalistsAbout 90 minutes into the show, we were introduced to a goth chick who called herself Lady Mapo and sported pierced lips, a pierced nose, purple lipstick and a bad attitude. She said she wanted to audition because last year's show was "too American." The judges were put off by her -- until the music started, and that was the clue: It was "Rainbow Connection." Lady Mapo then pulled off her wig and revealed herself to be none other than Maddie Poppe. The judges screamed and seemed genuinely surprised to see her.

Another surprise appearance came courtesy of Maddie's boyfriend and last season's runner-up, Caleb Lee Hutchinson. He showed up to support Jared Sanders, his friend since age 10, who was auditioning after being inspired by Caleb's success. Caleb and Jared's bromance was super-strong, but it wasn't enough to earn Jared a ticket to Hollywood.

We also saw a montage of other contestants from last year showing up to say hi to the judges on the audition trail, including Catie Turner, Noah Davis and Dennis Lorenzo.

A 90s country star resurfacesSixteen-year-old Chloe Channell's "backup guitarist" just happened to be Billy Dean, an award-winning '90s country star with a string of hits. Apparently, legendary country star Kenny Rogers discovered Chloe, and then Billy became her musical mentor. Of course, Luke Bryan knew Billy and ran down his career achievements, which Billy shrugged off, saying, "I'm all good and washed-up now!"

Chloe impressed the judges with her version of Keith Urban's "Stupid Boy," and Lionel Richie and Billy bonded over having met before -- and also over Kenny Rogers, for whom Lionel wrote the 1980 smash hit, "Lady." Chloe got a golden ticket, and Luke and Billy harmonized on a chorus of Billy's 1991 hit song, "Only Here for a Little While."

The sob storiesTwenty-five-year-old Ryan Hammond is a pastor's son, and Katy Perry was pretty sure her parents, who are also ministers, had worked with Ryan's dad at some point. Ryan used to weigh 330 pounds but underwent weight-loss surgery and dropped 170 pounds. Complications from the surgery nearly killed him, but now he's svelte and healthy. His version of "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith earned him a golden ticket.

Twenty-three-year-old Jorgie was born in Israel to very conservative parents who don't know he's gay. When he was 18, he moved to L.A. and started his music career. He told Katy her song "I Kissed a Girl" proved to him that being gay was mainstream and nothing to be ashamed of. He said he'd never told his family that he was gay, so he was doing it right now, on national television. His original song, "Heaven," about unrequited love for a guy named Jeffrey, was his ticket to Hollywood.

Twenty-one-year-old Emma Kleinberg and her brother, Alex, her hero, tried out for American Idol together years ago but neither of them made it. Alex developed bipolar disorder after college and tried to take his own life. He survived, but is now severely brain-damaged. Emma sang "American Privilege" by Allen Stone and earned a trip to Hollywood.

Nineteen-year-old Jackson Gillies lives in Katy's hometown of Santa Barbara, CA, and met her a while back at a benefit concert for first responders. He's been diabetic since age three but several years ago, he also developed an autoimmune disorder called H.S., which attacks the skin. There's no cure, but Jackson maintains a positive attitude. His version of "Make It Rain" by Foy Vance -- which Ed Sheeran recorded in 2014 for the TV show Sons of Anarchy -- blew the judges away.

And the restOthers going to Hollywood include 22-year-old Nick Merico, the former star of the Nickelodeon series Every Witch Way; champion clogger Zebulon Spencer; and 19-year-old Long Island crooner Christiaan Padovan.

The American Idol "Hollywood Week" episodes begin this Sunday night on ABC.

]]>"American Idol" champ Maddie Poppe removes her disguise; ABC/Kelsey McNealAmericanIdol's final audition episode of the season aired Monday night, and it was a crazy combination of unexpected guest appearances, the usual sob stories and one very funny prank, courtesy of reigning Idol champ Maddie Poppe.

Attack of last season's finalistsAbout 90 minutes into the show, we were introduced to a goth chick who called herself Lady Mapo and sported pierced lips, a pierced nose, purple lipstick and a bad attitude. She said she wanted to audition because last year's show was "too American." The judges were put off by her -- until the music started, and that was the clue: It was "Rainbow Connection." Lady Mapo then pulled off her wig and revealed herself to be none other than Maddie Poppe. The judges screamed and seemed genuinely surprised to see her.

Another surprise appearance came courtesy of Maddie's boyfriend and last season's runner-up, Caleb Lee Hutchinson. He showed up to support Jared Sanders, his friend since age 10, who was auditioning after being inspired by Caleb's success. Caleb and Jared's bromance was super-strong, but it wasn't enough to earn Jared a ticket to Hollywood.

We also saw a montage of other contestants from last year showing up to say hi to the judges on the audition trail, including Catie Turner, Noah Davis and Dennis Lorenzo.

A 90s country star resurfacesSixteen-year-old Chloe Channell's "backup guitarist" just happened to be Billy Dean, an award-winning '90s country star with a string of hits. Apparently, legendary country star Kenny Rogers discovered Chloe, and then Billy became her musical mentor. Of course, Luke Bryan knew Billy and ran down his career achievements, which Billy shrugged off, saying, "I'm all good and washed-up now!"

Chloe impressed the judges with her version of Keith Urban's "Stupid Boy," and Lionel Richie and Billy bonded over having met before -- and also over Kenny Rogers, for whom Lionel wrote the 1980 smash hit, "Lady." Chloe got a golden ticket, and Luke and Billy harmonized on a chorus of Billy's 1991 hit song, "Only Here for a Little While."

The sob storiesTwenty-five-year-old Ryan Hammond is a pastor's son, and Katy Perry was pretty sure her parents, who are also ministers, had worked with Ryan's dad at some point. Ryan used to weigh 330 pounds but underwent weight-loss surgery and dropped 170 pounds. Complications from the surgery nearly killed him, but now he's svelte and healthy. His version of "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith earned him a golden ticket.

Twenty-three-year-old Jorgie was born in Israel to very conservative parents who don't know he's gay. When he was 18, he moved to L.A. and started his music career. He told Katy her song "I Kissed a Girl" proved to him that being gay was mainstream and nothing to be ashamed of. He said he'd never told his family that he was gay, so he was doing it right now, on national television. His original song, "Heaven," about unrequited love for a guy named Jeffrey, was his ticket to Hollywood.

Twenty-one-year-old Emma Kleinberg and her brother, Alex, her hero, tried out for American Idol together years ago but neither of them made it. Alex developed bipolar disorder after college and tried to take his own life. He survived, but is now severely brain-damaged. Emma sang "American Privilege" by Allen Stone and earned a trip to Hollywood.

Nineteen-year-old Jackson Gillies lives in Katy's hometown of Santa Barbara, CA, and met her a while back at a benefit concert for first responders. He's been diabetic since age three but several years ago, he also developed an autoimmune disorder called H.S., which attacks the skin. There's no cure, but Jackson maintains a positive attitude. His version of "Make It Rain" by Foy Vance -- which Ed Sheeran recorded in 2014 for the TV show Sons of Anarchy -- blew the judges away.

And the restOthers going to Hollywood include 22-year-old Nick Merico, the former star of the Nickelodeon series Every Witch Way; champion clogger Zebulon Spencer; and 19-year-old Long Island crooner Christiaan Padovan.

The American Idol "Hollywood Week" episodes begin this Sunday night on ABC.